Systematic Reviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Pediatr. Nov 9, 2022; 11(6): 463-484
Published online Nov 9, 2022. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v11.i6.463
Insulin pumps in children - a systematic review
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Nermin Kamal Saeed, Adel Salah Bediwy, Reem Elbeltagi
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Algharbia, Egypt
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Manama, Bahrain, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
Nermin Kamal Saeed, Medical Microbiology Section, Department of Pathology, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain, Manama 12, Manama, Bahrain
Nermin Kamal Saeed, Department of Microbiology, Irish Royal College of Surgeon, Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Adel Salah Bediwy, Department of Chest Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Alghrabia, Egypt
Adel Salah Bediwy, Department of Chest Disease, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
Reem Elbeltagi, Department of Medicine, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, Busiateen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Author contributions: Al-Biltagi M, Saeed NK, Bediwy AS, and Elbeltagi R collected the data and wrote and revised the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mohammed Al-Beltagi, MBChB, MD, MSc, PhD, Chairman, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Al Bahr Street, Tanta 31511, Algharbia, Egypt. mbelrem@hotmail.com
Received: July 8, 2022
Peer-review started: July 8, 2022
First decision: August 1, 2022
Revised: August 2, 2022
Accepted: September 21, 2022
Article in press: September 21, 2022
Published online: November 9, 2022
Processing time: 121 Days and 19.7 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Insulin pump therapy is a real breakthrough in managing diabetes Mellitus, particularly in children. It can deliver a tiny amount of insulin and decreases the need for frequent needle injections. It also helps to maintain adequate and optimal glycemic control to reduce the risk of metabolic derangements in different tissues. Children are suitable candidates for pump therapy as they need a more freestyle and proper metabolic control to ensure adequate growth and development. Therefore, children and their caregivers should have proper education and training and understand the proper use of insulin pumps to achieve successful pump therapy. The pump therapy continuously improves to enhance its performance and increase its simulation of the human pancreas. Nonetheless, there is yet a long way to reach the desired goal.

AIM

To review discusses the history of pump development, its indications, types, proper use, special conditions that may enface the children and their families while using the pump, its general care, and its advantages and disadvantages.

METHODS

We conducted comprehensive literature searches of electronic databases until June 30, 2022, related to pump therapy in children and published in the English language.

RESULTS

We included 118 articles concerned with insulin pumps, 61 were reviews, systemic reviews, and meta-analyses, 47 were primary research studies with strong design, and ten were guidelines.

CONCLUSION

The insulin pump provides fewer needles and can provide very tiny insulin doses, a convenient and more flexible way to modify the needed insulin physiologically, like the human pancreas, and can offer adequate and optimal glycemic control to reduce the risk of metabolic derangements in different tissues.

Keywords: Insulin pump; Children; Diabetes mellitus; Keto-acidosis; Continuous glucose monitoring; Insulin therapy

Core Tip: The insulin pump is a significant step in proper diabetes management in the way to simulate the human pancreas. Insulin pumps undergo significant daily improvement every day to enhance their performance. The insulin pump is beneficial for children with type I diabetes mellitus. However, proper training and education of the children and their families are mandatory for the appropriate function of the insulin pumps. They should know how to use it properly and overcome the difficulties they may encounter and the different scenarios they may meet. The way still long to achieve our goals.